MATH SOFTWARE

Math miseries? Try these technology tips

By Elissa Brown It's common for students to hit a wall in their math studies sooner or later. Algebra, geometry, and trigonometry can be confusing, but finding the right resources shouldn't be. Here are a few ways technology can help you (whether you're a student or a parent) break down barriers and overcome math miseries. Take graphing to a new level

completing math homework. First, it brings together tools for a variety of subjects—trigonometry, statistics, and algebra—all in one central location. An equation library gives students instant access to the most common equations and formulas they need so they can focus on solving math problems.

The Graphing Calculator in Microsoft Math includes an Equation Library, which provides instant access to common formulas and equations and helps students determine which one to apply to a particular problem.

Reusing common numbers and expressions can save time where there are multiple problems to solve. With the Graphing Calculator software, it's simple to add and store variables; they are accessible for using or changing right alongside the worksheet.

As math concepts get more advanced, pictures can often be clearer than words. With Microsoft Math, students have access to full-color 2-D and 3-D graphing capabilities. The ability to view, rotate, and animate large, colorful graphs helps make it easier to understand advanced math and science concepts.

The 3-D graphing capabilities in the Microsoft Math Graphing Calculator make math more engaging and can help students understand complex concepts.

The graphs created with the Graphing Calculator software can be saved as image files and easily added to Microsoft Office Excel, Word, or PowerPoint documents to enhance reports and presentations.

Get problem-specific help

Online Math Homework Help provides step-by-step guidance and hints for solving math problems from more than 30 of the most popular math textbooks used in the United States. After a student selects his textbook online, he can browse to any chapter, page, or problem in the book. Rather than giving an answer to that problem, Online Math Homework Help helps the student solve a similar problem that requires the same logical steps.

Like a good teacher, Online Math Homework Help doesn't tell the student what to do. Instead, it guides them through the reasoning process so they can learn and apply the logic to other math problems. Online Math Homework Help is included at no extra cost in Microsoft Student with Encarta Premium. Microsoft Student teamed with Encarta and Hotmath.com to make the best math homework help available. Read what the critics are saying about online homework help in Microsoft Student with Encarta Premium 2009.

Online Math Homework Help is designed to provide step-by-step assistance for solving math problems in everything from basic math to Algebra and Geometry.

Analyze and chart your data

Microsoft Office Excel is an incredibly powerful application, great for analyzing data and completing math assignments, but it can be challenging if you've never used it. If you have Microsoft Office XP, Office 2003, or Office 2007, Microsoft Student's Learning Essentials feature tailors Office Excel to meet your unique needs and includes tips on how to use it for specific homework assignments. Learning Essentials also allows you to access a variety of templates, including Bar Charts, Graph Paper, Line Charts, Pie Charts, and Scatter Plots. When you select a template, you'll also get related project assistance that automatically pops up on the right side of the screen providing step-by-step guidance through the creation of the chart.

Learning Essentials for Office provides assignment-specific templates for Microsoft Office applications, including Office Excel.

Learning Essentials also offers tutorials from Pearson Prentice Hall, a leading textbook publisher, if you need additional guidance. For example, the Understanding Chart Types tutorial explains how to use charts to organize and analyze data, while the Charts and Graphics Basics tutorial outlines the most common chart types and provides examples in Excel.

Learning Essentials for Microsoft Office provides tutorials for completing common assignments, including using spreadsheets.

Grab a pen and save time

If you're using a Tablet PC, the Education Pack for Windows XP Tablet PC Edition has an Equation Writer that can help you handwrite a math equation and convert it to text with the touch of a pen. You can spend time solving math problems, instead of formatting them. With Equation Writer, you can convert handwriting by clicking one easy convert button; no more hunting for symbols!

The Education Pack for Windows XP Tablet PC Edition has an Equation Writer, enabling the student to handwrite a math equation and convert it to text with the touch of a pen.